Grind size chart
Which grind for which brewer, from Turkish to cold brew.
Chemex Ratio Calculator
Enter your Chemex size and target strength, and get exact coffee and water weights plus a pour schedule that suits the thick Chemex filter.
Dose → water
Coffee
g
Ratio (1 : X)
1 : 15.0
Water needed
0 g
Coffee-
Water-
Cups (250 ml)-
GrindMedium-coarse (coarse sand)
Water temp94 °C
Brew time4:00–4:30
Rinse the thick filter thoroughly — it holds a lot of paper taste. Bloom at twice the coffee weight for 45 s.
Why the Chemex ratio differs
The Chemex filter is noticeably thicker than a standard V60 paper. It traps more oils and fines, which gives the cup its tea-like clarity but also slows the drawdown. Chemex recipes therefore run slightly stronger and coarser than pour-over recipes.
1:15 is the practical starting point: 30 g of coffee to 450 g of water for the 6-cup model. Because the batch is bigger, the water can start hotter too — 94 °C rather than 93 °C.
Chemex ratios by size
| Method | Ratio | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 3-cup Chemex | 1:15 at 18 g | 270 g water. Total time 3:30–4:00. |
| 6-cup Chemex | 1:15 at 30 g | 450 g water. The most common home size. 4:00–4:30. |
| 8-cup Chemex | 1:15 at 42 g | 630 g water. Keep the water below the wooden collar. |
| 10-cup Chemex | 1:15 at 52 g | 780 g water. Grind one step coarser again or the drawdown stalls. |
| Iced Chemex | 1:14 at 30 g | 300 g hot water over 150 g ice. The ice counts toward the final weight. |
A Chemex schedule that works
For 30 g coffee at 1:15 (450 g water), 94 °C:
- Rinse the filter with a full kettle of hot water and pour it away. The thick paper holds a noticeable flavour if you skip this.
- 0:00 — Bloom with 60 g. Swirl until every ground is wet, then wait 45 seconds.
- 0:45 — Pour to 200 g in slow circles, keeping the water level steady instead of letting it fill and drain in surges.
- 1:30–2:30 — Pour to 450 g in two or three gentle additions, finishing around 2:30.
- 4:00–4:30 — Drawdown complete. Past 5:00 the grind is too fine or the filter is clogged with fines.
Frequently asked
What ratio should I use for a Chemex?
1:15 by weight is standard: 30 g of coffee to 450 g of water for the 6-cup model. Because the filter is thicker than a V60 paper, Chemex recipes run slightly stronger and coarser than pour-over recipes.
How much coffee for a 6-cup Chemex?
About 30 g of coffee to 450 g of water, which brews roughly 500 ml of finished coffee. A Chemex 'cup' is 5 oz (148 ml), not a full mug — weigh your own mug before trusting the cup count.
Why does my Chemex take too long?
The thick filter clogs with fines when the grind is too fine. Coarsen by one or two clicks and pour more gently. A stalled Chemex usually tastes bitter and hollow at the same time.
Chemex or V60 for a beginner?
The Chemex is more forgiving of pour technique but demands a coarse, consistent grind — a poor grinder shows up immediately as a stalled drawdown. The V60 is cheaper and faster but less tolerant of sloppy pouring.
Coffee ratio chart
Nine brew methods, dose and water in grams. Printable.
Basket size chart
Correct dose for every espresso basket size.
Brewing filter coffee another way?
The coffee to water calculator covers V60, French press, AeroPress, Moka and cold brew in one place.